Ferrying a Super Cub to Bolivia

DR to Anguilla took me straight across Puerto Rico. 15-20 kts headwind on this leg even up high.
Keeping the essentials in reach on a 6 hour leg in a Cub can be challenging. Especially with a raft, survival gear and ferry tanks taking all the prime real estate. I forgot to keep a hat in reach so the ipad screen cover got pressed into service to avoid sunburn flying due east all morning.

The Bushwheels looking down on Puerto Rico. Is this a telescope?
Anguilla was a great fuel stop. The airport staff were friendly and helpful. They let me push back into the grass and tie down since the wind was gusting to 25 when I landed. I finished early enough to check out the beach.

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That’s great. Keep the pics coming. Do you have an over view of your route?


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Very cool. You are a way braver soul than me.

Very cool and major butterflies if I was doing it. I flew with a woman named Sarah in McCall Idaho back in the 1990's and she showed me pic's of flying a PA12 on floats island hopping down to South America.

Enjoy your reports. I agree about Punta Cana, did many layovers there.

Anguilla to Grenada today.

You might be tired of seeing ocean shots...but there's not a lot else to look at. Someone know what all the rust colored floating stuff is?
Today was the first day without headwinds. I was averaging a glorious 93 mph on 7 gph. Made me feel better about the upcoming long legs over the jungle. The Cub was much happier a little lower at 9500 ft.

The rest of the route is TGPY, SYEC, SBEG, SLGM, SLCB. Grenada, Guyana, Manuas Brazil, Guayaramerin Bolivia, Cochabamba Bolivia.

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Sargassum weed
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargassum

I've ridden in a SAM 206 Cessna from Santa Cruz to a natural gas pipeline airstrip NE of Villa Montes. Have a cousin down there farming. Went to visit in Nanuque Brazil later and got a ride in a small plane. The pilot said he wouldn't fly in Bolivia since they shoot first and ask questions later but I had already survived. Ha

Is that a fuel pod or cargo pod? What is your fuel system on board?

DJ... Thank you for your reports and pictures! An amazing flight so far and the jungle ahead. gulp! Safe flying the rest of the way.

Bill and Annie

Wonder how many hours so far?


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He left north Georgia last Tuesday. Tomorrow will be one week.

He just landed in Georgetown, Guyana.

True Bucket List trip! I have crossed the Amazon at FL350 many many times but this is another ball game!

Dj
Pretty sure the rust colored stuff is seaweed. Saw the same thing in the Bahamas in January. Safe journey!


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Thanks for the answers on red stuff.

Monday was Grenada to Guyana. It was "only" 5.5 hours but felt like eternity. The hours in the saddle are starting to have a cumulative effect[emoji51]
A C 180 would be a much more appropriate choice for this adventure. I can't say I recommend it in a Cub..unless it's an X-Cub[emoji6]
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Hanging with the big boys

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Check the tail number
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Venezuela is only a few miles off the wingtip...don't stray off course.
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Terra firma and a new continent.
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Bushwheels like the looks of those rice fields.
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Strange place to tiedown right on a taxiway. I guess it is reserved for international aircraft. Fast getaway maybe?? I was hoping to get an early start to beat the CB buildups over the Amazon.
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I dont know what happened to the pictures....

Today was the big one and its over! 700 miles of jungle. I was off by 6:20 am to beat the weather. Things were looking good but at the Guyana border, over half way in to the flight, stuff started going funny on me. Ever heard a controler say, in halting English "don't contact me unless you have an emergency." With 400 miles of Amazon jungle, restricted areas and Tstorms ahead? That was a new one. And that was just the beginning of surprises. We made it in one piece and I have a lot to be thankful for! One of the many unexpected blessings has been the friendship and teamwork of the pilots I've met along the way.

Tonight when the flight plan office flatly refused to take my (required) flight plan in English or Spanish (this is supposed to be an ICAO compliant international airport) Fabio did it for me over the phone. I met him in FLL and hopscotched through the Caribbean with him and his friend Lani in Lani's brand new Cirrus. Since they are Brazilians they called the plan in for me remotely from their home hundreds of miles south of here. When you are swimming in red tape it's nice to have friends.
BTW I forgot to mention earlier that I met Sheldon, a SC.org member on a work trip in the DR. That was cool! Go figure.
This was the good weather today...

Had to taxi several miles, do several hours of paperwork, file two flight plans and pay another "choke - keel over, no really" landing fee to hop 3 miles to the aeroclub and buy $8/gal avgas. Hmmm..GA anybody?
Right after I snapped this picture taxiing out for takeoff the controler asked the radial and distance to the aeroclub..."umm..2.6nm? I think you can see it from the tower ma'am!" No I didn't say that.
Taxiway signage? You don't need it because everyone "knows"....its not on the Jepp chart either. And if you need progressive taxi you had better know Portuguese. Lots of surprises. But no actual trouble. At some point, if I decide to kiss the schedule goodbye, it becomes entertaining.

Like Bill Rusk says,
Very Blessed!

Here is another try at posting the pictures from Monday.

SteveE said:

Wonder how many hours so far?


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Click to expand...

I think around 45 on the tach as of Tuesday night.

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DJ said:

I think around 45 on the tach as of Tuesday night.

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Click to expand...

What is your fuel status, DJ? Is that a fuel pod you have on the belly? How many gallons total?

Congratulations on a successful and safe trip! Thanks for the updates and photos.

MTV

Congratulations DJ!!! PTL!

In case you guys did not know it, this was not just for fun. The airplane will be used for missionary flying, relief help, and for general aid to communities in the mountains that lack even the basic medical facilities. Good on you DJ.

Bill

Way to go DJ! Just 400 nm to Cochabamba.

Feels like home already...[emoji4]
78 gallons useable. No fuel in the pod. I wanted it where I could reach the pumps etc. It's been a good system. No trouble. 5 hours left tomorrow, over the pass into Cochabamba.
Here are some pictures from today. There was some weather to go around but always a way through. Thanks for your prayers!
The Garmin G5 gives a lot of peace of mind when over a deck or trying to find a way around stuff.

I didn't dare take a picture of the dozen armed drug police officers, civil aviation, tower controlers, customs and bystanders that showed up when I landed in Bolivia. It would have been classic but I didn't want to risk annoying the police. When I left for immigration the officers were taking each other's pictures by the plane so maybe it would have been okay.


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A friend sent me a picture of part of the crowd. Do I look intimidated?[emoji51]

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is that a control tower or a machine gun nest? were they friendly or pushy?

That is the tower.

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May God always be with you. Marcia and I were very close to flying with MAF many many years ago but God had other plans for us. Thanks for this great adventure.\\Warm regards,

Jack

What a adventure!! Thanks for sharing. A cropduster friend has a plaque on his wall that reads something like "Ships are safest in port, but that's not what ships are for".